BHUBANESWAR: Even as 30 per cent (pc) of the cultivable land has no irrigation facility and 59 blocks are having less than 35 pc irrigation, the State government has achieved only 24 pc of its target to create new irrigation potential for over 5.02 lakh hectare from 2014 to 2020.
A performance audit of 24 major/minor irrigation projects and mega lift projects which were either completed or partly completed between January 2011 and March 2017 revealed that the Water Resources department has created additional irrigation potential of 1,22,418 hectare against its target of 5,02,842 ha.
Estimated at Rs 955.73 crore (original cost), the cost of these projects was revised multiple times to a staggering Rs 19,103 crore. The department could utilise Rs 12,742.11 crore till the end of March 2020.
“During last six years (2014-20), the Water Resources department surrendered an amount of Rs 842.98 crore which was 14 pc of the revised budget provision,” the report which was tabled in the Assembly on Thursday said.
The major reasons for the surrender of funds were delay in handing over of land for execution of projects, inability to obtain mandatory clearances, changes in design and scope of work. The delay in implementation of projects together with inefficient work management led to cost overrun of projects, non-execution of work taken up under the third phase with loan assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Rengali left and right bank canal,” said the audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on surface irrigation for the year ended March 2020.
The partly completed projects under the audit included Rengali Left Bank Canal (RLBC), Rengali Right Bank Canal (RRBC), Subarnarekha Irrigation Project (SIP), and Lower Indra Irrigation Project (LIIP). “Implementation of projects was tardy, with delays in completion of projects ranging from 13 (Minor Irrigation Projects) to 43 (RLBC/RRBC) years.
The designated land acquisition officers could acquire 31,554.57 acre of land against the requirement of 66,219.25 acre of private land despite the availability of funds for the purpose. Similarly, the land acquisition officers of selected projects failed to alienate 7,338.60 acre of government land against the requirement of 8,387.05 acre.
Deficiencies in work management led to extra financial implications to the extent of Rs 554.87 crore towards wasteful and avoidable expenditure including excess payments to contractors. “While mega lift projects were executed without ensuring availability of water at source, the ayacuts of minor irrigation projects were found to be overlapped by major irrigation projects due to lack of coordination between executing officers of the same department,” the report pointed out.
All major projects ran the risk of becoming economically unviable as there was significant shortfall in ayacut achieved and of all test-checked projects only paddy was being cultivated without adoption of a multi-cropping pattern.
FINDINGS
24 major/minor irrigation projects & mega lift projects either completed or under construction in 6 yrs
Estimated at Rs 955.73 cr, cost of projects revised multiple times to reach Rs 19,103 cr now
Dept surrendered Rs 842.98 cr - 14 pc of the revised budget - due to various reasons